Apparatus for stenciling



\ 7 luv/ ator William QZrewZi (ModeL) W. Q. PREWITT. APPARATUS FOR STENGILING.

No. 371,969. Patented Oct. 25, 1887.

TRADE WITH THE LEADING CLUTHIEH UNITED STATES PATENT Oriana.

WILLIAM Q. PREWITT, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

APPARATUS FOR STENCILING.

SPECIFICATION fo ming part of Letters Patent No. 371,969, dated October 25, l88'7 Application filed January 30,1886. Renewed September 3, 18257. Serial No. 248,728.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Q. PREWLTI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Stenciling, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to an improved method of stenciling and to a novel construction and combination of stencil devices, as hereinafter set forth.

The object of the invention is to provide at small expense'a ready and effective means of rapidly producing various stenciled designs especially adapted for advertising purposes.

To this end my invention comprises the method of steneiling, which consists in first painting a board or other surface with the color or colors in which the lettering or other design is to appear, then applying solid pattern letters or designs to said painted surface and smoking the surface around said letters or designs before the paint becomes quite hard, whereby when the pattern letters or designs are removed the unsmoked portions of the painted surface will reveal the desired charactors.

The invention also consists in a frame provided with adjustable wires for attachment of adjustable pattern letters or designs and in the combination, with said .frame and attached patterns, of springs for holding the pattern letters or designs in a horizontal line, and a lamp suspended from the pattern-frame and adapted to be moved back and forth beneath the same for the purpose of smokingapainted board or other surface laid upon the pattern letters or designs.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a plan of my improved sten'ciling apparatus. Fig. 2is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of a partly completed advertising sign produced in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4. is a transverse section of the pattern-frame with lamp suspended therefrom. Fig. 5 is a perspective of apattern-letter with attachinglugs secured thereto. Fig. 6 is a perspective of a pattern-letter with integral attaching-lugs and an elastic upper surface.

(Model.)

The numeral 1 designates a frame, preferably rectangular in form and composedof wood or metal. This frame is provided with a series of longitudinal pattern-supporting wires, 2, that are secured in any suitable manner to one end of the frame 1, and at the other end of the frame are attached to adjustable eyebolts 3, as shown in Fig. 1. The eye-bolts 3 are supported in the end of the frame 1, and

are provided at their outer ends with adjusting-nuts 4 and with springs 5, that are placed on the bolts between said nuts and frame. By this means the tension of the wires 2 can be regulated, and any increase in their length, due to expansion from heat, can readily be taken up.

The pattern letters or designs 6 are each provided with attaehinglugs or hooks 7,so arranged as to permit the scveralletters or designs to be engaged with the supporting-wires 2, and moved or adjusted thereon to any de sired position to effect an appropriate spacing. In order to prevent sagging of the wires 2 and attached patterns 6 under the Weight of the board to be lettered, the sides of the frame 1 may be provided with springs 8, adapted to bear against the under side of several patterns, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and thus hold the line of patterns in close contact with the surface to be lettered.

The pattern-frame 1 is supported horizontally on trestles or otherwise, as shown in Fig. 2,and has suspended from its side rails a movable lamp-support, 9, which carries a lamp, 10, having a broad flat Wick, 12, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This wick 12 should be nearly or quite as broad as the surface to be smoked, and the lamp should be suspended at such a distance beneath the pattern-frame 1 as to avoid blistering or burning the painted surface on which the smoke and soot is to be de posited.

In carrying my improved method of stenciling into effect I arrange the proper pattern letters or designs upon the wires 2 in appropriate relative position. A painted board, as

13, or other surface upon which the paint has been allowed to become nearly but not quite dry and hard, is then laid upon the patterns 6, with its painted side in contact therewith, as shown in Fig. 2, and the lighted lamp 10 is moved forward and back beneath said patterns and superimposed board. It is'obvious that the smoke and soot from the lighted lamp will thus be deposited on the entire adjacent surface of the board,except those portions protected by the pattern letters or designs, and when the board 13 is removed from the frame 1 the desired characters will appear in painted relief, surrounded by the otherwise blackened surface of the board, as shown in Fig.3. By

. this method of operation the heat of the lamp causesasufficientsoftening of the nearly-dried paint to enable the smoke and soot to enter and combine therewith, and thus produce a durablethoroughly-blackened surface that is capable of resisting the effects of wear and weather. It is obvious that the board or other surface, before being smoked, may be painted according to the requirements of advertising of different persons, trades, or goods.

Although I have described and illustrated an appropriate form of apparatus to be used in practicing my invention, it will be understood that I do not confine myself to any precise details of construction. The pattern letters or characters may be adj ustably and detachably fastened to their supports, either by means of lugs or hooks 7, that are soldered, riveted, or otherwise secured to said characters, as shown in Fig. 5; or said lugs may be formed integral with the pattern characters and bent into any desired form, as shown in Fig. 6. If desired, the uppcrside of the pattern letter or character may be provided, as shown in Fig. 6, with an elastic surface, 14, composed of rubber, felt, or other suitable material adapted to effect a close cont-act between said pattern and any inequalities in the surface of the board 13 resting thereon.

It will be observed that the patterns 6 are so attached to their supporting-wires 2, by means ofthe lugs 7, as to prevent the said wires from obstructing the deposition of smoke or soot on the surface to be stenciled; and it will also be seen that these wires can be readily adjusted to take up any expansion in length due to the heat of the lamp.

WVhat I claim as my invention is l. The method of stenciling, which consists in first painting a board or other surface in the color or colors in which the lettering or other design is to appear, then applying pattern letters or designs to said painted surface, and finally smoking the surface around said letters or designs before the paint becomes entirely hardened, substantially as described.

2. In a stencil apparatus, the combination, with a pattern-supporting frame adapted to hold the material to be stenciled, of a movable lamp-support suspended from said patternframe and carrying a lamp; substantially as described.

3. In a stencil apparatus, the combination, with a frame having adjustable pattern-supporting wires, of pattern letters, designs, or characters detachably and adj ustably fastened to said wires and a lamp for smoking the surface of a fabric laid on said patterns, substantiall y as described.

4. In a stencil apparatus, the combination, with a frame having pattern-supporting wires and pattern letters, characters, or designs attached to said wires, of springs adapted to bear against the under side of the patterns,

substantially as described.

5. In a stencil apparatus, the combination, with a frame having pattern-supporting wires, of pattern letters, characters, or designs attached to said wires and provided with upper elastic surfaces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

w. Q. PREWITT.

Witnesses:

J. A. RUTHERFORD, Jos. L. COOMBS. 

